Renewable energy in South Dakota involves production of biofuels and generation of electricity from renewable sources of energy such as wind and hydropower. South Dakota is among the states with the highest percentage of electricity generation from renewable resources, typically over half. In 2011, South Dakota is on track to become the first U.S. state to have at least 20% of its electricity generation come from wind power.
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Eastern South Dakota lies within the Corn Belt and as such has a number of plants that generate ethanol fuel from corn.
South Dakota grows soybeans and other oil seed crops and has one biodiesel plant. Midwest Biodiesel Producers, located in Alexandria, is not in operation as of 2011 because the economics are not currently profitable.[1]
A type of corn oil suitable for use as a feedstock to biodiesel plants is now being extracted from byproducts of ethanol fuel production at several of POET's plants.[2]
Four dams on the Missouri River generate the bulk of South Dakota's hydropower. Hydropower is the main source of electricity generation in South Dakota.[3]
In 2010, a large amount of wind power generation capacity was added in South Dakota, bringing the total generation capacity to 781 megawatts(MW). Although this is not a large capacity compared with other states, because not much electrical power is generated in the state, this capacity allows about 21% of electrical power to be generated by wind.[4]
Titan Wind Project is a project with 25 MW of generating capacity, but has a proposed expansion to 5050 MW.[5]
South Dakota legislation enacted a voluntary goal of 10% electrical generation from renewable energy sources by 2015.
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